Boxed produce carloading



Feb. 12, 1952 H. C. PIERCE BOXED PRODUCE CARLOADING Filed 001;. 25, 1945 2 SHEETSSHEET l INVENTOR 15542040 CI HEecE,

mwzf ATTORNEY Feb. 12, 1952 H. c. PIERCE BOXED PRODUCE CARLOADING 2 SHEETSS1-IEET 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1945 INVENTOR 15%?040 C 1 /5905, BY Z ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOXED PRODUCE OAR'LOADING Harold 0. Pierce, Pomona flalif.

Application ctober'23, 1945"," Serial No; 624,008

ll Claims. .1

This invention has todo with the loadingrof boxed producein refrigerator cars; and particularly with loads or kindsof" produce, such; as grapes-where the boxes are; placed bottom down andarranged in stacks "laid in rows extending transversely and longitudinally: within the car. One of my primary objects' is to departfrom conventional practices by the provision of a new form of load characterizedsby its capacity,.'after being refrigerated at the pointof shipment, to reach its destination at a substantially lower temperature than has been: possible in :the'z'employment of load form's heretofore used. "In this respect, the invention .aimstoprovide for "locationsand degrees of spacing between the box stacks that will permit cold air circulation for efficient initial refrigeration' ofthe load; and yet maintainthe stacks in suchcom-pact or-interengaged relation as to minimize their absorption of heatziduringi .transiir should the temperature:- of the-car for any reasontend' to rise above normal refrigeration temperatures.

Considering typically the conventional grape load, a: common practicenis tospaceapart: both the transverse and longitudinalrows; so :that

each stackis surrounded byanair space. While favoring rapid cooling of the load, the exposures of, the individual stacks is conducive to' relatively rapid-heating or loss of refrigeration;

:Inaccordance with;:;the invention, the boxes asiarranged; inthe car are placed; in side-to-side 2 adaptedi totextend vertically between-and: in overlapping relation with opposed-pairs of bOX stacks; andcarrying or having' associatedfthere with, projections preventing lateral shifting'of the spacermembers and of such proportions as to' extend" between interengaging "sidesof the boxes.

' All the aforementioned features and" objects, as Well as the detailsof certain illustrative-em bodiments of the invention; will-be-understood to better advantage from the description" to-follow. Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 lsaa cross=section taken transversely through the car and load incorporating one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is: a fragmentary side view of the-=load taken on line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary-plan sectionon line 3'- -3 'Of' Fig; 1; a Fig. 41s a fragmentary view-taken in the aspect of Fig-3'1, showing-"- a variational and preferred form of loadand-brace system;

-Fig; 5isaxfragmentary side elevation-*of the loadtaken on line-5-5 of Fig: 4; r I Fig; dis a fragmentary enlargement clone of-the sidesupports or braces;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary section 0 line 1-Lof 'Fig 4;

Fig; 8 is a View similar to Fig s 6-illustrating a further variational form of theinvention and engagement to eliminate any: spacing, or any I appreciable-spacing;ini the transverse rows, so that' -with respectto :their thermal characteristics; allwthe boXes in: each transverse row ap- Fig: 9 is a cross-section taken on'line -9-9 of I Fig; 8.

pr a h i-singlermass. w-Qnlywthe'boxesin the longitudinal rows are spaced: apart, or in other Words, :the continuous transverse rows are spaced apart, and the spacingaispredetermined to'permit adequate; air circulation forinitial; refrigeratic-n;but withoutexcessivevspacing conducive to l iea ne nrtransit,

A: further object--istoprovide an improved bracing system for strongly supporting and maintaining the load in :the condition described. For-this purpose, I -employ a novel'type'ofspacer and: brace assembly-adapted to be" interposed between the; transverse rows, and" between-the outsi e: of: the. load and-the car-walls; individual unitseof t-he spacer and .braceassembly being pplicable:pro ressively :to rthe exposed inner ends of jtherload asit "lea-built: toward" the center ofthe .car.

=I-n.-.vthisconnection,.. a-feature: of: par cu nortance -israniz improved typ f: spacer unit Referring first to Figs. -1"to-3, the-box load generally indicated at 18 is shown to be con tained within a refrigerator car having'thecon ventionally'illustrated side walls-all and=iloor l2. The load in is shown-to comprise individual stacks S'typicallyof grape or liker-bOXGS -l3 arranged bottom 1 down and in vertical alinement within. the individual stacks. The stacks S are alined in rows .R running transversely-of the-car and'also. inrows longitudinally of the car, i. e. normaltothe plane-of Fig.1 1, as will be readily understood. -Theends of the -boxes .l3.-in" ad- .iacent stacks S andin' the transverse rows Bare in endaengagement, or substantially" so; although for clarity of illustration and; distinguishmentvoi adjacent box stacks;- the dotted lines: in-= Fig. 1 show the box endsto-beqspaced slightly. 1 As previously indic'ated; in so placing the'boxes :in-end engagement, my primary objectis .tomaintain the load ;in= a: condition of maximum-compactness transversely of the car.

:The.-individual boxesmay. be oi -Many of the conventional types used in shipping grapes, tomatoes and the like, and which are so constructed that when arranged in a stack, the interiors of the boxes and contained produce are accessible to treating gases or cooling air at their sides 54, but not at their closed ends 52. For simplicity of illustration, the boxes have been typically represented as of a known type having uncovered upper sides through which gases and air may gain access to'the contained produce. Each box has, at its opposite ends, the usual upwardly projecting lugs extending across the upper edges of its end walls 52 and upon which the next higher box in the same stack rests. As will be appreciated, these lugs act as spacers to form air circulation spaces 53 between the transversely extending side walls 54 of the boxes through which air enters the sides of the stacks for access to the produce through the open upper sides of the boxes. At the same time, the lugs act as upper continuations of the end walls 53, so that the end walls in each stack are in continuous vertical sequence.

The transverse rows are spaced apart and the boxes and stacks in each transverse row are maintained and supported in proper condition by the following described assembly adapted to be interposed between successive transverse rows as the load is built in the car from its end to the center. The spacing and bracing assembly comprises plurality of intermediate braces or boards I4 (e. g. /1" x 3") extending'vertically from the floor the full height of the stacks S and bearing against and overlapping the sides of adjacent stacks at their engaging ends. At their outer ends, the transverse rows are spaced apart by T-shaped spacers I5 co-extensive in height with the intermediate braces I4 and made up preferably of a x 3" spacer I6 received between and spacing apart the transverse rows R, as shown in Fig. 3, and members I! nailed to the spacer part I6 and bearing against the outer ends of the boxes I3. Thus the transverse rows R are spaced apart at I8 a distance corresponding to the thickness of members I4 and I6, which typically may be in the neighborhood of /4, as indicated. I

Members I4 and the end assemblies I5 are interconnected by transverse metal straps I9 and 20 attached to members I4 by staples 2I and at their ends to the assemblies I5, as by bringing the ends of the straps about the outside of the spacer I6 so that the straps are securely held in place by members I'I. feature and object of the invention is to obviate in a simple manner the possibility of lateral shifting of the members I4 away from their proper and intended overlapping relation with the adjacent end portions of the boxes. This result, is accomplished by inserting or driving through the members I4 rigid metal projections 22, preferably of sufiiciently small size or thickness to be receivable between adjacent boxes I3 One particular 3 while permitting inter-engagement of the box ends. In the showing of Fig. 2 (and also of Fig. 5) the box stack SI in row RI is assumed for purposes of illustration to be removed in order to expose the projections 22 (and 3I) inside the load. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the projections 22 preferably extend beyond both faces of the members I4 so as to be receivable between the ends of the boxes in adjacent though spaced transverse rows R. V

The described load assembly may within a predetermined lateral dimension inside be confined the car, by nailing to the car fioor, strips 23 running longitudinally thereof at the outside of the load so as to be engageable by the end spacer units I5. The load may be suitably braced from the side walls II of the car by vertically extending spacer boards 25 nailed to the car.

The spacer and support assembly consisting of the end units I5, members I4, straps I9 and the projections 22, individually may be made up a and assembled as units for application to suecessive transverse box rows as they are filled into the car. Thus assuming a transverse row R has been placed in the car, the indicated assembly may be put in place and applied to the boxes in the condition shown in Fig. l, with the projections 22 inserted between adjacent ends of the boxes then in place. The next box row R is then put in place against the spacing and brace assembly, with the projections 22 received between the ends of the last placed boxes. The entire load is thus filled into the car in this manner, from the car ends toward the center, and finally may be subjected to the usual squeezing operation to compact the load longitudinally of the car and open the center space for bracing or the insertion of boxes finally to be put into the car. The entire load may be stabilized and integrated by applying and tensioning steel straps 50 about the sides and ends of the load.

The car and load thus areready for refrigeration which is accomplished by the usual means, not shown, acting to maintain a flow of cold air through the spaces I8 until the load is brought down to proper temperature. It will be noted that by reason of the compacted box arrangement transversely of the car, heat gain after refrigeration is confined (other than at the top and outside of the load) to the exposures at space I8, and therefore the rate of heat gain necessarily is considerably lower than in conventional loads for produce of this type, where the individual box stacks are spaced both at their sides and ends.

Considering now the variational form shown in Figs. 4 to 7, thearrangement and relationship of the boxes are exactly the same as in the first described load. One differentiating characteristic of the variational form is that it dispenses with the use of transverse straps between the rows R. Referring to Fig. 4, as in the previous instance vertical braces 30 are interposed between the rows R against and in overlapping relation with the end portions of adjacent stacks. Here the projections corresponding to elements 22 in Fig. 2 consist of thin but rigid metal plates 3I inserted through slots 32 in member 30 and held in position by interengagement of the plate notch 33 with the bottom of the slot. The projections iii are easily made and installed, and eifectively prevent lateral shifting of the members 30. The end spacer and brace units 34 correspond in structure and function to the previously described units I5. The load is laterally positioned at the floor by the strips 35 and is supported and spaced from the car wall I I by braces 36 running longitudinally of the car in overlapping relation with successive box rows R, it being understood that any suitable number of the braces 36 may be used serially to so support and space the load throughout its length. Each brace 36 is attached at suitable intervals to blocks 31 nailed to or merely bearing against the car wall, in which latter event the brace and block assembly is supported on small blocks 38 nailed to the units 34. If deassume sired, -steet'- straps;.= not;. ;snown;:maa be. applied-to and? tightened about the-outsidepfithe,entireload as an aideto' itszstabilization anddntegration Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a furthernvariational featuredn .vtheepmvisionznfi 15109.05! and,- bracing means that'arezsel-feactingmo compcnsatefor any looser-less .onvariation that may develop -in,..t;l1 e spacingaof the load fnomithecarsidewall. -:Here blocks aappliedtothe units 3t supporta brace d i extendingal'ongz and in overlapping relation with the:successivetransverse box rows.-.R. The brace: M. is:.engaged by a gravity'lwedge assembly zi-iconsis'ting of; a base; .diiirbearingand slidable vertically.- against ;,-the carwall I I, and carrying thevwedge; p1'oper M,;the. inclined-ed e of which engagesrmemberzt I .As- Will.-;be understood; any suitable number of therwedge assembliesgla may bez usedalongthe length'-'ofi..memb er ill; :Enlargementrof thespace: atiidbetween-theload and carwall, resulting for examplefrom transverse compacting ofraathe load; results in downward movement oi-thewedge assemblyso that thalattentatnalttimes maintains a rigid support forrthe load fromv theonea-wall.

I claim;

- 1:. A boxedproduce load for refrigerator cars comprisingboxes arranged bottorndownin ver tical stacksiland .alinedzin stacked rows running transverselyzandi longitudinally. of the car, the longitudinal wallsoftheboxes in adjacent longitudinalirowszbeing.inengagement and; said walls being closed and in substantially continuous -vertical sequence; ineach: .staeiixand; means inserted between and spacingi'apart; the transverse rows to. provi'dezfon air circulation therebetween. there being air spaces.betvieenitheivertically successive transverse sides in :each stack. exposed to the. air circulation. space between said transverse rows.

2. A boxed: produceload for: refrigerator cars comprising boxes. arrangedbottom downinzvertical stacks and: aimed in stacked rows running transversely. and longitudinally oizlthe. car, the longitudinal walls .of. the boxes'in; adjacent longitudinal rows beingin engagement and said walls being closed and insubstantially: continuous vertical .sequencein. each:stac k,: and vertically extending spacermembers inserted between; and spacing. apa t adjacent transverse rows, there being open airspaces between. said members and extending-from the floor. ofthezcarto the top of the boxgload; and there being air spacesqbetween: the verticallysuccessive; transverse box sides. in each stack exposed: to said: air spaces between saidmembers.

3. A boxedproduce loadior refrigerator cars comprising. boxes, arranged bottom down in-vertical: stacks ,andalined. in. stacked rows running transversely and longitudinally of the car, the longitudinal walls of the boxes :inadl'acent longitudinalirows. being in engagement, and .said walls being closed and in substantially continuous. ver ticalsequence ineach stack, spacer-members ex.- tendingvertically; between -.transv.erse rows and engaging. and overlapping the transversewwalls of opposed pairs of the individual box stacks at opposite sides of. theirengaging walls to provide for air circulation between. said transverse rows, there being airspaces between the .verticallysuccessive transverse: box, sides ineach. stack exposed. to .the air circulation spaces: betweenlsaid transverse rows-,2 and meansrpreventing. shifting of. said spacer ;memb.ers;laterally .of :the par.

4. ri /boxed produce. load .ior. .refrigeratoizycars comprising boxes arranged bottom. downv in vertical' staclcwand alinediin. stacked; .rows-jrnnni11 transversely; and? longitudin lly-10a t enar longitudinalrwalls of. the boxesjnadiacent o i tudinalsrowsibei'nggin engagement and said walls being closedtin substantial-1ylcontinuous ventlcal sequence in each; stack, spacer-membensextend: ing vertically: betweenvtransverse rows; and en:- gaging and overlapping. lie-transverse:wallsnf opposedpairsnof the individuatbox stacks at 0p-. posite sides of their; engaging walls, and proj ections extending .from-saidi members betweemsaid stacks to prevent shiiting of said spacer members laterally of the car and sufiiciently thin topermit engagement: of: the longitudinal :box.. walls betweenawhich they are; received; there. being spaces abetweeir'athe vertically successive trans.- versesloox. sides; ineeach stack through which air from between thegtransverse row may flow into the boxes.

- 5. A; boxed. produce load for. refrigerator: cars comprisingv boxes. arranged; bottom: downl'inzllere tical stacks and .alinerlrin stackedvrows: running tifflJlSVfilSBl-YIfill-i longitudinally of jthe; car,,-the longitudinal; walls off theaboxes. lnadi acentlongitudinalrows. heing:in.. engagement and saidzwa-lls being closed in substantially; continuous vertical sequence in each stack;- vertically extending spacer members inserted" between: and; spacing apart adjacenttransverse rows, there being :open air spaces betweensaid: members and extending from. therfioorof: the. car: to-the top of the-box load, there bein spaces between: .the vertically successive transverse box sides; in :ea-ch stack through which air from said-air: spaces, between the::members may flow, into: theyboxesgandta metal strap extending between" said transverse rows and attached :tosaid spacer members.

6. A boxed-produce load torrefrigeratorcars comprising :boxes arranged; bottom down yer.- tical stacks and alinedjn stacked'rows" running transversely and longitudinally of they-car, the longitudinal walls of. the boxes in adjacentilongitudinal rowsbeing iniengagement and'zsaidi walls being lclosed in. substantially continuous rvertical sequence :in: each stack, spacer members: extending vertically between transverse rows andenrgaging andoverlapping the transverse walls, of opposed. pairs of i the: individual box stacks" atzt op positesides .oftheir engaging walls, a:me.tal=strap extending betweengsaid transverse rows, and; at taohed to said spacer members, and projections extending from said members betweensaid-stacks to preventshiftingof said members'laterally of the; car and su-iiiciently thin to permit engagement of the longitudinal box walls between which they are received-there beingspaces between the vertically successive transverse boxsidesin each stack through which. air from between the. transverse rows may i'low into the boxes.

- '7. A boxed. produceload for refrigerator-cars comprising boxes arrangedbottom. down; in yer:- tical stacks and alined in stacked rows running transversely and longitudinally of ;the. 0943;. the longitudinal wallsoi-jthe boxes-in adj scent-longistudinal rows. being in engagement: and saidwalls being closed in substantially continuous-vertical sequence in each stack, spacer. members extending verticallyabetween transverse. rowsiand. engagin and overlapping the,..transverse. walls of opposed pairs of-the individual box stacksjatopposits; sides. of. their, engaging walls; there; being open. air spaces; between. said;;members; and-ex:

.tendingI.-from3the floon of. the-.car...to-. -thes ton-pi the-boxrload,there; being .spaces'betweenlth yer;- ticallnrsuccessiye: transszerse: box; .SidBSli-inz each stack'ithmugh'iwhichsairairomssaidiaimsnacesiber tween the members may flow into the boxes, a metal strap extending between said transverse rows and attached to said spacer members, and vertically extending outer spacer members attached to said'strap and placed against the car side walls and in overlapping relation with the ends of adjacent transverse rows.

8. A'boxed produce load for refrigerator cars comprising boxes arranged bottom down in veritcal stacks and alined in stacked rows running transversely and longitudinally of the car, the longitudinal walls of the boxes in adjacent longitudinal rows being in engagement and said walls being closed in substantially continuous vertical sequence in each stack, spacer members extending vertically between transverse rows and engaging and overlapping the transverse walls of opposed pairs of the individual box stacks at opposite sides of their engaging walls, and rigid projections, short as compared with the box length, carried by said members and projecting between the longitudinal box walls of said stacks, said projections being sufliciently thin to permit engagement of the box walls between which they are received, there being open air spaces between said members and extending from the floor of the car to the top of the box load, and there bein spaces between the vertically successive transverse box sides in each stack through which air from said air spaces between the members may flow into the boxes.

9. A boxed produce load for refrigerator cars comprising boxes arranged bottom down in vertical stacks and alined in stacked rows running transversely and longitudinally of the car, the longitudinal walls of the boxes in adjacent longitudinal rows being in engagement and said walls bein closed in substantially continuous vertical sequence in each stack, spacer members extending vertically between transverse rows and engaging and overlapping the transverse walls of opposed pairs of the individual box stacks at opposite sides of their engaging Walls, and individual thin metallic projections carried by said members and projecting therefrom between the stacks, said projections being sufficiently thin to permit engagement of the box walls between which they are received, there being open air spaces between said members and extending from the floor of the car to the top of the box load, and there being spaces between the vertically successive transverse box sides in each stack through which air from said air spaces between the members may flow into the boxes.

10. For use in stabilizing a boxed produce load comprising boxes alined in stacked rows trans versely and longitudinally of the car, a spacer member extending vertically between transverse rows and. engagin and overlapping the transverse walls of opposed pairs of individual box stacks at opposite sides of the longitudinal walls of said stacks, and a projection extending from said member to be received between the longitudinal walls of said stacks and suificiently thin to permit engagement of said walls between which the projection is received.

11. For use in stabilizing a boxed produce load comprising boxes alined in stacked rows transversely and longitudinally of the car, a spacer member extending vertically between transverse rows and engaging and overlapping the transverse walls of opposed pairs of individual box stacks at opposite sides of the longitudinal walls of said stacks, and an element extending through andprojecting-centrally from said member to be received between the longitudinal walls of said stacks, said element being sufliciently thin to permit engagement oi. the walls between which it is received.

12. For use in stabilizing a boxed produce load comprising boxes alined in stacked rows transversely and longitudinally of the car, a spacer member extending vertically between transverse rows and engaging and overlapping the transverse walls of opposed pairs of individual box stacks at opposite sides of the longitudinal walls of said stacks, and a thin metallic element retained within a slot in said member and projecting therefrom to be received between the longitudinal walls of said stacks, said element being sufficiently thin to permit engagement of the walls between which it is received.

13. For use in stabilizing a boxed produce load comprising boxes alined in stacked rows transversely and longitudinally of the car, a spacer member extending vertically between transverse rows and engaging and overlapping the transverse walls of opposed pairs of individual box stacks at opposite sides of the longitudinal walls of said stacks, and a pair of vertically spaced notched metallic elements inserted through and retained within vertical slots in said member, said elements projecting centrally from the member to be received between the longitudinal walls of said stacks and being sufiiciently thin to permit engagement of the walls between which they are received.

14. For use in stabilizing a boxed produce load comprising boxes alined in stacked rows transversely and longitudinally of the car, a prefabricated unit spacer assembly comprising a plurality of spacer members to extend vertically between adjacent transverse rows and individually engaging and overlapping the transverse walls of opposed pairs of individual box stacks at opposite sides of the adjacent longitudinal walls of said stacks, a flexible metal strap attached to said members and adapted to extend between said transverse rows, and vertically extending spacer members connected to the ends of said strap and adapted to'be interposed between the car side walls and the ends of said transverse rows.

15. For use in stabilizing a boxed produce load comprising boxes alined in stacked rows transversely and longitudinally of the car, a prefabricated unit spacer assembly comprising a plurality of spacer members to extend vertically between adjacent transverse rows and individually engaging and overlapping the transverse walls of opposed pairs of individual box stacks at opposite sides of their longitudinal walls, a flexible metal strap attached to said members and adapted to extend between said transverse rows, vertically extending spacer members connected to the ends of said strap and adapted to be interposed between the car side walls and the ends of said transverse rows, and rigid metallic projections carried by and extending from the first men tioned members and adapted to be received between said stacks said projections being sufllciently thin to permit engagement of the longitudinal walls between which they are received.

16. A boxed produce load for refrigerator cars comprising boxes arranged bottom down and alined in stacked rows running transversely and longitudinally of the car, the longitudinal walls of the boxes in adjacent longitudinal rows being in engagement, means inserted between and spacing apart the transverse rows to provide for air circulation therebetween, outer spacing means amazes maintaining the load in spaced relation to the car side wall, said outer spacing means comprising a wedge member movable downwardly by gravity to take up looseness in the load spacing.

17. A boxed produce load for refrigerator cars comprising boxes arranged bottom down and alined in stacked rows running transversely and longitudinally of the car, the longitudinal walls of the boxes in adjacent longitudinal rows being in engagement, means inserted between and spacing apart the transverse rows to provide for air circulation therebetween, outer spacing means maintaining the load in spaced relation to the car side wall, said outer spacing means comprising a member extending longitudinally of the car in overlapping relation with the ends of a succession of said transverse rows, and a Wedge member movable downwardly by gravity between the last mentioned member and the car side wall to take up looseness in the load spacing.

HAROLD C. PIERCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,256 Hoak Jan. 26, 1943 694,600 Bamberger Mar. 4, 1902 793,374 Hope June 27, 1905 887,983 Swope May 19, 1908 1,920,917 Scales Aug. 1, 1933 2,022,325 Schroeder Nov. 26, 1935 2,053,638 Schroeder Sept. 8, 1936 2,117,076 Pierce Oct. 24, 1939 2,415,368 Pierce Feb. 4, 1947 2,475,719 Pierce July 12, 1949 

